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Loading... Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories Volume II (Sherlock Holmes) (edition 1986)by Arthur Conan Doyle
Work InformationThe Hound of the Baskervilles / The Valley of Fear / His Last Bow / The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Almost three years ago exactly I set out to read every Sherlock Holmes story and novel, considering the length of the average story and the briefness of the novels I should have finished this long since, but, as my reviews attest, at times I could barely stand the bastard. Despite starting strong with 'The Hound', Doyle's follow up novel. and the majority of the stories published after Holmes' return from the grave. fail to live up to expectations. There's a lot of merit of course, and if I had outright hated the things I never would have finished, but urgh. Whine and moan. The last collections of stories found Doyle on good terms with his creation, or had figured out what his audience wanted. Good reading, but I'd advise spacing it out as much as possible. 10/8/14 - 'The Hound of the Baskervilles': Five Stars Elegant and suspenseful, I doubt Doyle ever surpassed this - I hope to be proven wrong in time. 12/4/14 - 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes': Two Stars Back to the grindstone Doyle? There are enough stories of merit to make this collection readable, but artistically a disappointment. 1/6/15 - 'The Valley of Fear': Two Stars The reader can't help but be drawn into the narrative about a corrupt Masonic Lodge in American coal country, but this mystery - a lengthy explanation for Holmes' benefit - has little to offer. 2/17/16 - 'His Last Bow & The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes': Four Stars The strongest collection of stories since 'Memoirs', the last two Holmes books make up for the lack of pace with twenty-one stories that mostly deliver everything a reader could want from a Victorian mystery. See also: 'Complete Novels and Short Stories, Vol I' From 2021: So, after reading the complete works of Sherlock Holmes, I've come to a conclusion - that Sherlock Holmes is not my cup of tea. Its a cross between the stories being too clean, and that Sherlock Holmes is a bit of an ass. I actually like Watson considerable more. Watson brings in a humanizing factor that gives Sherlock a way to explain his stories. I know that this is a book of its time, where classism exists, English Exceptionalism, etc etc. However, Doyle at times points out the hypocrisy - in "The Adventure of the Yellow Face", when Sherlock Holmes is hired to figure out what a secretive wife is doing, he finds she is hiding her much loved child from a previous marriage to a black man. Most of these stories from both volumes have faded for me, but a few do stick out. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is one my favorites. From 2015: Ah yes, the world of Sherlock Holmes - hes the worlds most famous detective, consulting on the cases that stump law enforcement. This is the second and final volume of the complete works of Sherlock Homes. I have the first volume, but don't remember much of it. Conan Doyle is a remarkable author - but the stories are totally a product of their times. For example many of the stories have a "savage" character, either defined by the shape of a head or the product of a certain place. Spanish ladies are considered "Fiery" from the warmer climate and any non-white people are lesser people. In a few stories, this can be very distracting and pull a person away from the plot. There are also dubious science, such as the story who was injecting himself with monkey extract (?) to be able to keep up with his young wife - he suddenly gained an ability to climb trees. In modern science, this is bad science, but it might be considered science fiction. The best story "The Hound of the Baskervilles". Even now, after reading it a few months ago. I can still tell it back to you. Its almost the perfect mystery - I really can't think of anything that didn't pull the reader out of the story. If you haven't read this story, I highly recommend doing so. The worst of the story is "The Valley of Fear" - which is unnecessarily long and drawn out. Also, everything, from the setting to the characters was over the top. But I persevered and finished the story. The other stories are generally much better, but I generally liked the shorter ones better than the longer stories. As for Sherlock Holmes in modern TV, Its interesting - I've mostly watched Sherlock, the BBC version and only a few episodes of Elementary on ABC (?) - but neither shows quite get Sherlock Holmes from the book correct - the BBC version has Sherlock being a lot less emotional without caring about anybody, while the ABC version has Sherlock bouncing off the wall crazy. Both of these portrayals are in the original book - but I find it interesting that some aspects are emphasized over others when it comes to Sherlock's personality So - if you haven't already read any of these stories - I recommend that you do so. The only thing I regret about reading the stories of Sherlock Holmes in two great big chunks is that I feel like it's all over too soon. How I wish I'd lived in the time where I would have had to wait, impatient and eager, for the next installment of the great detective's adventures. The wait would have been well worth it. While reading, I am in fact transported to Victorian England, to the apartment at 221B Baker Street which I can see clearly in my mind's eye (note: I have never watched any Sherlock inspired TV series). From that sitting room I embark on, with Holmes and Watson, so many mind boggling adventures where I try as I might, like Watson does, to keep up with the great Sherlock Holmes. He leaves me for dust just about every time, but that makes it no less enjoyable. I rather like watching him prove his talents time and again. John Watson faithfully chronicles the adventures of Sherlock Holmes for us, as Holmes is called to many a case where it is never about the money, only the mental exercise. Holmes likes to be challenged and more often than not he rises to the occasion. We are told that there are some cases that were not solved, which is interesting, but their tales have not been concluded because they lack completion. We also find in this volume, one story from the third person and a couple from Holmes', both which I enjoyed and had a distinctly different voice to that of Watson. I felt that these were interesting author choices but also reflective of the fact Watson and Holmes were not always together. As I'm sure you can tell, I loved every Sherlock Holmes story I read. Some of course were more thrilling than others, more adventurous, but they were all well written and very clever all the same. My hat off to Sherlock Holmes, John Watson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. no reviews | add a review
ContainsHis Last Bow (short story) by Arthur Conan Doyle (indirect) The Adventure of the Dying Detective by Arthur Conan Doyle (indirect) The Problem of Thor Bridge (short story) by Arthur Conan Doyle (indirect) The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place by Arthur Conan Doyle (indirect) Has the adaptation
Classic Literature.
Fiction.
Literature.
Mystery.
HTML:Since his first appearance in Beeton??s Christmas Annual in 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle??s Sherlock Holmes has been one of the most beloved fictional characters ever created. Now, in two paperback volumes, Bantam presents all fifty-six short stories and four novels featuring Conan Doyle??s classic hero??a truly complete collection of Sherlock Holmes??s adventures in crime! Volume II begins with The Hound of the Baskervilles, a haunting novel of murder on eerie Grimpen Moor, which has rightly earned its reputation as the finest murder mystery ever written. The Valley of Fear matches Holmes against his archenemy, the master of imaginative crime, Professor Moriarty. In addition, the loyal Dr. Watson has faithfully recorded Holmes??s feats of extraordinary detection in such famous cases as the thrilling The Adventure of the Red Circle and the twelve baffling adventures from The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle??s incomparable tales bring to life a Victorian England of horse-drawn cabs, fogs, and the famous lodgings at 221B Baker Street, where for more than forty years Sherlock Holmes earned his undisputed reputation as the greatest fictional d No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.912Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1901-1945LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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The edition is just as great as the first volume, though as I said, I like the short stories and the 2nd installment more than the first one overall. ( )